Printing mechanism



June 23, 1936.

W. G. READ PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 21, 1955 g. Sheets-Sheei 1 June 23, 1936.

W. G. READv PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 21, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 VVarfk ifiedd Patented June 23, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRINTING MECIVIANISM Worth G. Read, St. Paul, Minn. Application September .21, 1935, Serial No. 41,561 8 Claims. (o1. 101-377) This invention relates to, improvements. in printing mechanism of thetype described in my co-pending application Serial .No. 646,866, filed December 12, 1932, for a printing machine, and

has for its principal objectthe provision of improved means for securing individuallinememhere or holders in place on an, arcuate or segmental printing form.

A particular object is to provide a form holder or galley, of the flexible type adapted to be stored flat, with novel means for securing a multiplicity of individual line members in such rigid relation to said form holder and .to an arcuate or segmental chase that the quality of the printing is improved while the workv of composing the printing members and making the. necessary connections for printing are facilitated.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, of my device partly in section;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1 and showing some of the type in place in the form; l

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 5 is' a section taken on the line 5--5of Fi 1; r

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of one of the followers showing the means for securing the same to the flanges on the flexible form holder, and

Fig. '7 is a similar view of an alternate form of followerbark In the drawings the, numeral '1 indicates a 5 segment adapted to .begsecured to a press in the usual or suitable manner. Fitting on the cylindrical, outer surface of the segment 1 is a flexible form holder 8 formed at each side edge with an inturned flange 9 adapted to. engage individual line holders I0. These line holders are channel shaped members extending parallel to the axis of the segment I and each formed with inturned flanges ll adapted to slidably engage printing members l2 which may be either individual type,

slugs of various lengths or other members bearing the characters to be printed. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the printing members have grooves in the oppositesides thereof to receive the flanges II and the sides of said membersand of the line holdersli! preferably extending radially to the segment I, as indicated by the dotted lines l3 in Fig.3.

As shown in Fig. 5, the endspf the line holders l0 are formed with notches l5 to slidably receive the flanges 9 of the form holder 8. These flanges have slits l6 severing them transversely at suitable intervals to facilitate bending the holder 8 from the flat form, in which it is usually handled when removed from the segment I, to the arcuate shape of the segment 1. A portion of one of the flanges 9 is preferably cut away, as indicated at I! to facilitate insertion of the line holders l0 into engagement with the flanges 9.

Secured to each end of the form holder 8 is a rigid bar l-B adapted to be clamped in engagement with the segment I by spring clips l9. As best shown in Fig. 4, each of these clips [9 may be secured to the inner surface of the segment by a screw 20. The clips have free extremities 2| adapted to be sprung into engagement with the bars IB. A follower bar 22 is placed adjacent to the line holder ID at each end of the form and the ends of these bars have slots 23 to receive the flanges 9 of the form holder 8. The material from which the bars 22 are constructed is sufficiently resilient to permit the gripping of the flanges 9- in-the slots 23. Suitable means are provided for forcibly gripping the flanges 9 in the slots 23. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the gripping device comprises a small cam lever 24 pivotally secured to the end of the bar 22 by a rivet 25 and formed with a cam 26 adapted to be moved to and from a recess 21 in the bar by angular movement of the lever. To move the bar 22, with the parts in the gripping position shown in Fig. 6, it is necessary to actuate the lever 24 and allow the cam 26 to enter the recess 21, whereupon the end portions of the bar spring apart, to enlarge the slot 23 sufficiently to release the flange 9.

In the alternate form of gripping device shown in Fig. 7, the screw 26 is substituted for the lever and cam arrangement of Fig. 6, the screw being arranged, when turned inwardly, to draw the resilient end portions of the bar together to reduce the size of the slot 23 and grip the flange 9. Obviously, by a reverse turn of the screw 28, the bar 22 is released from the flange 9.

Mounted on each end of the segment 1 is a bar 29 to which is secured the ends of a pair of thin, strong bands 30 adapted to be drawn tightupon the multiplicity of line holders in place on the segment 7. One end of each of the bands 30 is secured to one of the bars 29 and the other end to the other of said bars. 'The bands 30 are removable from the line holders and maybe adjusted longitudinally thereof to applypressure as near as possible to the printing members I2. To pro: vide for the latter adjustment, the bars 29 are formed with grooves3l extending from end to end thereof and the ends of the bands 30 have inturned flanges 32 slidably fitting in the grooves 3|. Rigidly secured to one of the bars 29 is a series of spaced, parallel studs 33 which are slidable in sockets formed in the end surfaces of the segment I. Thrust screws 34 are threaded in the bar 29 and the inner ends of these screws severally bear against hardened metal plates 35 secured in suitable recesses in the ends of the segment 7. Near the center of the same bar 29 a screw 36 is arranged to limit movement of said bar away from the segment, this screw fitting loosely in an opening in the bar and being threaded in the segment. The bar 29 at the opposite end of the segment may be secured thereto by cap screws 36a (Fig. 2) as adjustment is not likely to be required at both ends of the bands. Obviously both bars 29 may be made adjustable to increase the range of adjustment when required. By having at least one of the bars arranged to be. forcibly actuated longitudinally of the bands 33 and by permitting limited turning of the bar out of parallelism with the end of the segment, substantially uniform tension may be applied in the two bands 30 irrespective of the ordinary and slight irregularities in the group of line holders on the segment found in practice.

'As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, suitable spacing strips 31, preferably having thicknesses of one point and integral multiples thereof, are'placed between line holders where required to properly space'the printing members. The lineholders are also furnished in various widths to accommodate type of various heights, as indicated. Mounted on one of the arcuate side edges of the segment 1 is a stop plate 38 which projects from the periphery of thesegment, as indicated in Fig. 5, sufficiently'to engage the ends of the line holders l0 and one of the side edges of the form holder 8. The plate 38 thus affords a guide for one ofthe side edges of the assembled galley.

My improved device permits wide variations in the arrangement and extent of the printing members on the form holder and changes may be made in any arrangement rapidly and without skilled operators. The composing is done with'the form holder 8 removed from the segment 1' and laid flat, the typebeing set in the individual line holders and the latter assembled by sliding the ends thereof into engagement with the flanges '9. The follower bars zz are placed at the ends of the formand are quickly secured so as to lock the line holders [0 and spacers 31 in place either by actuating the cam levers 24 of the preferred form or screws 28-of the alternate form shown in Fig. '7. The form holder is then placed on the segment 1 by bending to the arcuate form and springing the clips l9 into engagement with the bars I 8. At this point one'of the bars "22 is moved to compact the line holders which are loosened somewhat by bending the flexible base or holder 8 from its flat'to its arcuate shape. The flexible bands 30 are next placed with-their flanged ends 32 in engagement with the grooves 3| of the bars 29 in such position as to extend parallel to the flanges 9 andclose to the ends of the lines of printing members I2. As the final operation in making the segment ready forprinting, the screws 34 are turned in the appropriate direction to draw the bands 30 tightly and uniformly against the line holders in a radial direction. Ample forceis appliedin this manner to firmly compress each of the line holders and the flexible form holder 8 radially against the cylindrical surface of the segment 1. This greatly improves the printing and uniformity of the impressions and makes it unnecessary toapply tension to the form holder 8. By my arrangement of the bands 30, I also make it unnecessary to apply substantial force transversely of the form holders by means of the bars 22 or otherwise to forcibly compact the line holders and spacers together. It will be evident that the bands 30 are made thin enough so that they do not project to the printing faces of the members 12 which are located on, the cylindrical surface. 33 indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent 1s:

1. Printing mechanism having in combination a segment, a form holder mounted on the periphery of said segment, a multiplicity of individual .line members removably secured to said form holder, a flexible member extending transversely of said line members in engagement therewith and means for tensioning said flexible member upon said line members.

2. Printing mechanism having in combination a segment having a substantially cylindrical periphery, a formholder mounted on said periphery, a multiplicity of individual line members extending in parallel relation to each other and from'side to side of said form holder, a flexible band extending transversely of said line members upon the outer surfaces thereof and means engaging said segment for tensioning said band upon said line members.

3. Printing mechanism'having in combination,

a segment, a flexible base conforming to the periphery of said segment, a multiplicity of individual line members removably secured to said base, means for securing the ends of said base to the ends of said segment and means for compressing said line members and base upon the periphery of 'said segment comprising, a flexible member extending transversely of said line members in engagement with them and means for forcibly tightening said flexible member.

4. Printing mechanism having in combination, a segment, a form holder mounted on the periphery .of said segment, a multiplicity of individual line members mounted on said form holder, a plurality of flexible :bands extending transversely-of said line members in engagement therewith, a bar extending along an end of said segment, means connecting the ends of said bands to said bar, means for guiding said bar for movement longitudinally of said bands and means for forcibly actuating said bar to tightensaid bands upon said line members.

5. Printing mechanism having in combination a segment, a thin flexible base mounted on the periphery of said segment, a multiplicity of indlvidual line members extending from side to a side of said base and removably secured thereto, a plurality of flexible bands extending transversely of said line'members upon the outer surfaces thereof, a bar extending along an end of said segmentand formed with a groove extending longitudinally thereof, flanges formed on the ends of said bands to engage said bar in said groove, means for guiding said bar for movement longitudinally of said bands and means for forcibly actuating said bar to tighten said bands upon said line members.

6. Printing mechanism having in combination a segment,aflexible base mounted on the periphery of said segment, a multiplicity of individual line members removably secured to said base, a plurality of flexible bands extending transversely of said line members in engagement therewith, a bar extending along an end of said segment, means for connecting the ends of said bands to said bar, means for guiding said bar for movement longitudinally of said bands and threaded means engaging said bar and segment for forcibly actuating said bar to tighten said bands upon said line members.

7. Printing mechanism having in combination a flexibleform holder, narrow retaining members extending along opposite side edges of said holder, a multiplicity of individual line members each having ends slidably engaging said retaining members, a followerbar slidably engaging said retaining members, means for securing the ends of said bar to said retaining members to confine groups of line holders of various sizes, a segment adapted to receive said form holder, means removably securing the ends of said holder to the ends of said segment and means engaging said line members to retain them and said holder securely in place on said segment.

8. Printing mechanism having in combination a flexible form holder, narrow retaining members extending along opposite side edges of said holder, a multiplicity of individual line members each having ends slidably engaging said retaining members, a follower bar slidably engaging said retaining members, means for securing the ends of said bar to said retaining members to confine groups of line holders of various sizes, a segment, adapted to receive said form holder, spring clips removably securing the ends of said holder to the ends of said segment and fiexible bands extending in spaced parallel relation to said retaining members upon the outer surfaces of said line members to retain them and said holder securely in place on said segment.

WORTH G. READ. 

